Kristie J’s review of Watch Me Follow by Harloe Rae
New Adult published by Amazon Digital Services 31 Jan 18
Wow. Just wow. This book gives a real emotional punch and delves into something different in romance. Ryker, our hero, was viciously bullied when he was young. The fact he was bullied, added to the fact his parents were at best negligent and uncaring toward their child, has warped Ryker to the point he’s almost completely isolated and lives in a dark, dark world. Finally a bit of light comes into his world when he meets Lennon in high school. She talks to him and smiles at him and he is completely unused to that kind of reaction. But because he’s isolated and has no real social skills, he doesn’t talk to her again.
Fast forward a few years and now we switch to Lennon’s POV. She grew up with extremely over-protective parents and is socially awkward herself. She’s never dated and she doesn’t have a whole lot of friends. She does have one good friend and roommate, though, who watches out for her. And it also seems that Lennon has, while not exactly a stalker, more of a watcher/secret admirer. She’s never seen him, and, while her roommate thinks it’s kind of freaky, he makes Lennon feel safe, knowing that someone is keeping an eye on her.
And while she doesn’t know who her watcher is, the reader does, because the book is told in first person, alternating points of view, and, of course, her watcher is Ryker. In fact, he’s arranged his whole life around Lennon. He follows her, he lives in the same building she does – and not accidentallly. He’s obsessed with her, but not in a scary ‘phantom of the opera’ kind of way, but more in a ‘he won’t let anyone harm her’ kind of way.
And, unbeknownst to Ryker, Lennon has always had strong feelings for him, ever since he stood up for her when they were in high school. But he never spoke to her again and just seemed to slip out of her life.
The blurb below describes things quite well, but what it doesn’t convey is just how very fragile both Lennon and Ryker are. They are simply beautiful together. It’s odd, the author borders on Ryker’s behavior being very creepy, but for me it never is. It’s just a truly lost soul who recognizes the one person he knows is meant for him and he focuses on that. My heart breaks for him because he’s so very easily hurt. Lennon, while being naïve, is still a great heroine. She truly ‘sees’ Ryker and what he struggles with. In no time at all, he is just as important to her as she is to him.
Harloe Rae is a new-to-me author and I’m ever so glad I have another book by her in my TBR pile.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Creep. Freak. Crazy Eyes.
I’ve heard it all.
Over the years, they’ve slammed me with every demeaning name in the book.
Their taunts warped me like a steady stream of poison.
Anger replaced anxiety as I started believing the cruelty spat my way.
Until she showed up and changed everything.Lennon Bennett is pure innocence—warm sunshine breaking apart my stormy existence.
She’s everything good and maybe I can be too.
For her. With her. Because of her.
Lennon doesn’t know I’m beckoned closer with each breath.
She isn’t aware that I’m completely consumed with her.
It’s become my sole purpose to protect her, by any means necessary.
But if she discovers the depth of my obsession, it will be the end of me.
So, I remain in the shadows.
Waiting. Watching. Wanting.
She’ll be my first. My last. My only.
No excerpt available.
